If you live for your daily coffee injection and you've decided to invest in or upgrade to a manual coffee espresso machine, choosing the right machine is vital. Especially if you're looking to spend hundreds, or perhaps even thousands, or dollars.

The right coffee machine can mean the difference between a coffee-making experience that will bring you joy and caffeination in equal measure and one that could leave you disappointed and dissatisfied (not to mention, headed straight back to the cafe or your favourite barista). 

Breville and DeLonghi are two of the most prominent mainstream brands making manual and semi-automatic espresso machines. Both have several models available with various specifications and different price points, so they're likely to crop up frequently when you're looking at which machine you might like to buy.

Breville is well known for its high-end Breville Barista manual and semi-automatic espresso machines, and DeLonghi's premium La Specialista and Dedica ranges are also popular. 

Breville vs DeLonghi: Which brand is best?

The best coffee machine for you depends on many things, such as your skill level, budget, and preferences for certain features. 

But you should also consider factors about the brand such as:

• how reliable their machines tend to be overall
• their track record in customer service and customer satisfaction
• typical extras their machines generally include, such as cleaning kits and stainless-steel milk jugs.

Brand reliability

CHOICE has gathered data on brand reliability for automatic and manual espresso machines over the past 10 years, taking into account things such as the number of breakdowns, the types of problems owners experience, and owner satisfaction with their appliance brand.

Among the brands we have data on, Breville consistently comes out on top for brand reliability when it comes to their espresso machines, with Breville customers reporting they're very satisfied with their machines. 

Breville consistently comes out on top for brand reliability when it comes to their espresso machines

Coffee temperature is generally good for these machines, and they have fewer problems with milk frothing and controls/buttons not working.

But DeLonghi isn't far behind, receiving a very good brand reliability score that's slightly higher than Sunbeam's.

Overall brand vs individual model

It's important to bear in mind that in CHOICE testing, performance of specific models may vary quite significantly. So don't assume that just because one product from a brand is good, that all their products are.

Ideally check the results of individual models in our espresso machine review before you buy.

Range and price

Generally speaking, Breville has a wider range of manual and semi-automatic espresso machines to choose from. With a range that is always evolving, the brand currently has around 12 machines, from cheaper options such as the Breville Bambino ($300) and the Breville Bambino Plus ($499), up to the $1999 Breville Oracle Jet and the $2799 Breville Oracle Touch (for serious home baristas!).

Breville has a wider range of manual and semi-automatic espresso machines to choose from

DeLonghi's La Specialista range includes five main machines (the Arte, the Arte Evo, the Arte Evo with Cold Brew, the Maestro with Cold Brew and the Opera), ranging in price from around $500 to around $1400. 

It also has more compact semi-automatic machines: the DeLonghi Dedica Maestro ($299), the Dedica Maestro Plus ($399) and the Stilosa ($149). 

Breville vs DeLonghi: Comparing the machines

When comparing machines and brands, consider the features that are most important to you. 

For instance, would you like pre-programmed coffee recipes you can select at a touch of a button, with automatic milk frothing? 

Or would you like complete control of the process, including frothing your own milk, just like the barista at your local cafe?

Would you like to tamp your coffee with a hand tamper or a built-in tamper? Do you fancy making cold-brew coffee? 

Read more about the features to look out for in our coffee machine buying guide.

Fancy gimmicks and features really can't mask a poor functioning machine. To get a good espresso, you need accurate and consistent pressure and water temperature

Adrian Lini, CHOICE expert tester

But CHOICE tester expert Adrian Lini says you shouldn't base your decision solely on features.

"With coffee machines, the fancy gimmicks and features really can't mask a poor functioning machine. To get a good espresso, you need accurate and consistent pressure and water temperature. If you don't have those then you won't get a good coffee, no matter what."

Adrian has put dozens of manual and espresso machines through their paces in the CHOICE labs.

"My experience with both Breville and DeLonghi is that the Breville machines are often easier to use – their controls are more intuitive and it takes less time to make a good espresso.

"I certainly know you can get a good coffee with a DeLonghi machine, but it may take a little more time to learn how to get the best out of the machine."

How we test coffee machines

When testing manual and semi-automatic coffee machines, we give scores for each machine based on the taste of the coffee, how easy they are to use, how well they froth milk and the consistency of the coffee temperature. 

Our expert taste-test panel gives each espresso shot a score in a 'blind' tasting (meaning they don't know which machine made it), assessing:

• colour and thickness of the crema (the tan-coloured foam on the top of an espresso shot)
• aroma
• flavour
• mouthfeel (for example, creaminess or wateriness)
• aftertaste.

Below, we've compared similar machines from both Breville and DeLonghi at two different price points to help you choose. 

For full detailed scores and findings from our experts, read our espresso coffee machines review. You can also compare all our test results and more models side by side, using our compare all products table.

Espresso machines from $700–1000

• Breville Barista Pro
• Breville Barista Touch
• DeLonghi La Specialista Arte Evo with Cold Brew

If you have a budget of around $700–1000, you may be considering one of these three machines. 

The Breville Barista Pro and Breville The Barista Touch are similar machines – the main difference is that the Barista Touch has more automatic functions, including a touch-screen display with pre-programmed coffee menu and automatic milk frothing. 

If you have a slightly higher budget, the Breville The Barista Touch Impress ($1499) comes with an auto-dose feature and built-in tamper, which our experts say is easy to use. 

The DeLonghi La Specialista Arte Evo ($699) is a manual machine that also gives you the option of three pre-programmed coffee recipes, including cold brew, as well as preset temperatures to suit different coffee varieties. Here's how the three models compare.

Espresso machines under $700

• DeLonghi La Specialista Arte
• Breville Barista Express

If you're looking to spend less than $700 but you still want to flex your barista muscles with a customised coffee experience, these two machines are probably on your radar. 

Both have been tested by CHOICE experts, who say they rank similarly when it comes to how easy they are to use, but the Breville Barista Express comes out on top in other respects (read detailed product reviews).

They rank similarly when it comes to how easy they are to use, but the Breville Barista Express comes out on top in other respects

There are a few differences between the machines. The La Specialista comes with one 51mm pressurised filter basket, whereas the Barista Express comes with both one-cup and two-cup (single-wall) filter baskets. You can compare other features below. 

We've also tested the Breville Barista Express Impress, which costs slightly more ($799) but has an auto-dose and built-in tamper our experts say is very easy to use and lets you make coffees quickly. 

Here's how the two cheaper models compare.

Is the Breville Oracle Touch coffee machine worth it?

The Oracle Touch is one of Breville's most expensive coffee machines, retailing at $2799. 

One of the reason it is significantly more expensive than other Breville machines such as the Barista Touch Impress ($1499), is that it has a dual boiler heating system. This means you can extract coffee and steam milk at the same time (one boiler heats the espresso while the other heats the milk for steaming). This is as opposed to a Thermoblock heating system found on cheaper machines, which heats water as it passes through a solid metal block (and means you cannot extract the espresso and steam milk at the same time). 

Adrian says: "When comparing coffee machines, look at whether they have a Thermoblock, boiler or dual boiler heating system. While you can get good results from a machine with a Thermoblock, a machine with a dual boiler will generally give you more consistent, precise results that's similar to what you'll get from a commercial coffee machine."

Breville's Oracle Touch ($2799) and Barista Touch Impress ($1499) both perform similarly when it comes to the taste of the espresso shots they produce, and on milk frothing

The Breville Oracle Touch also has 45 grind settings (15 more than the Barista Touch), a hands-free auto grind and tamp feature, and a commercial-grade 58mm portafilter. 

CHOICE experts have tested and reviewed both the Oracle Touch and the Barista Touch Impress in our labs and noted that they both perform similarly when it comes to the taste of the espresso shots they produce and milk frothing. 

Head to our expert coffee machine reviews to find out more. 

Other important factors to consider

Bench space

Before rushing out to buy a manual espresso machine, it's a good idea to look at the dimensions of the machine you're interested in and measure the space you have available on your benchtop to make sure it'll fit comfortably. 

Remember, if your machine doesn't have an inbuilt grinder, you will have to make space for that, too. Plus, it's good to have a little bit of extra space near the milk frothing wand so you've got some elbow room while you're frothing your milk.

Double boilers or dual boilers vs Thermoblock

As mentioned, one of the features that makes some of the top-tier Breville machines more expensive is their double or dual boilers (the Breville Oracle, Oracle Touch, Dual Boiler and Dynamic Duo all have this feature). 

Double boiler espresso machines have two separate heating units, which means you can make coffee and froth milk at the same time

Double boiler espresso machines have two separate heating units: one for steam and one for coffee so you can make coffee and froth milk at the same time, which is handy if you're churning out multiple coffees at once – or if you're just impatient and want your coffee fix quicker! 

Many Breville and DeLonghi coffee machines have Thermoblock heating systems, which rapidly heats water as it passes through a solid metal block. While this system means you can brew coffee quickly, you can't extract and steam at the same time, and you will generally get less consistent temperatures.

Fancy a cold brew?

One thing the DeLonghi La Specialista range has that's missing from the Breville range is a machine that can make cold-brew coffee. The La Specialista Maestro with Cold Brew and the La Specialista Arte Evo Cold Brew include cold extraction technology that allows you to enjoy cold-brew coffee within five minutes. 

Parts, cleaning and accessories

When deciding between brands, you should also look at the ongoing costs and availability of brand-specific accessories, such as cleaning tablets and descaling liquid, as well as the cost and availability of replacement parts. 

Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.

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